Nanofibrillar cellulose hydrogel is used in 3D cell culture. Typically the nanofibrillar cellulose is delivered as a stiff hydrogel dispersion. The stiff hydrogel may be difficult to handle and to dilute, especially by pipetting. Often users of the hydrogel try to dilute it for cell culturing. There is, in many cases, a need to adjust the viscosity of the nanofibrillar cellulose hydrogel during the production to facilitate handling. At the same time, however, gel strength has to be high enough for cell culturing applications.
There is therefore a need to provide a method for reducing the viscosity of nanofibrillar cellulose hydrogel and for a nanofibrillar cellulose hydrogel that is easier to handle.